Richard C. (Dick) Schwenk Sr., was a very successful businessman, retiring at the age of 66 as CEO and part owner of Auto-Tel Systems, which provided electronic accounting systems for automobile dealerships. The sale of his portion of the business enabled him to live his dream of building a home next to a golf course and playing lots of golf.
He was born in Perkasie, Bucks Co, though his father moved the family to Lebanon while Dick was just a young boy, then to Shippensburg, Cumberland Co, in about 1937, where they stayed. Dick was popular with his classmates and excelled as a football player, dating a cheerleader, Phyllis Naugle, whom he later married.
Dick was eager to serve his country during the second World War, and joined the Navy as soon as he graduated from high school in 1945. He was sent to the South Pacific on a destroyer escort and suffered terribly...not from war injuries, but from severe sunburn after falling asleep on the deck of the ship which was off the coast of Borneo. After VJ Day he and his bride were stationed in San Diego.
Upon returning to Shippensburg, PA, Dick worked at various jobs to support his young family while attending college at Shippensburg State. After a few years he went to work as an accountant for his father-in-law, Ed Naugle, at his car dealership. That proved to be a challenge for both of them, and in 1960, Dick decided it was best to move his family to Montgomery County where he went to work for another car dealership. In 1969 he joined ATS, a fledgling company which provided computer hardware as well as a full line of software and support to the automobile dealership community. He eventually became CEO and part-owner of the company.
Though my father worked hard and long hours while I was growing up, I have some very fond memories of him patiently playing silly games with my brothers and me, and of family vacations to the Jersey shore, and of his expertise at the backyard barbecue, to name just a few. He made our Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day celebrations special, not just with the barbecue, but by setting up volleyball, croquet, badminton and horseshoe games in the back yard, which he had meticulously groomed, and setting up stereo speakers outside for additional entertainment. He's always 'been there' for me in every way and I'm grateful to have him as my dad.
Even after having two hip replacements, Dick continues to enjoy playing golf nearly every day the weather permits. He and his wife, Ruth, seem to be thoroughly enjoying retirement.